D1CE

D1CE (디원스), pronounced “The Once,” was a five-member South Korean boy group under Happy Face Entertainment’s own-label subsidiary, D1CE Entertainment. If you’re diving into the story of D1CE kpop, you’ll want to know it wasn’t an overnight success story — it was years in the making. The members, Yonggeun, Hyunsoo, Yoojun, Woodam, and Jinyoung, spent years grinding through Korea’s toughest survival show circuit — Produce 101 Season 2, MIXNINE, and Boys24 — before finally debuting together on August 1, 2019 with the EP Wake Up: Roll the World.

Let’s rewind a bit. Before they were D1CE, these trainees were known as HNB (HappyFace Next Boys), releasing pre-debut singles under HF Music Company as far back as 2017. Fans watched them individually shine and struggle on national television, which meant that by the time D1CE finally debuted, their fandom, later named Don1y, already felt like they’d been on this journey together for years.

A Small But Devoted Fandom

D1CE’s name itself is a clever play on words — a fusion of “dice” (echoing the group’s visual concept) and “The Once,” symbolizing the members’ hope to become the first and foremost players in the music industry. The name was chosen through a fan vote, beating out options like The Thing, J1GG, and IVI. It’s a small detail, but it says a lot about how invested their early fanbase was even before debut.

Musically, D1CE leaned into a clean, emotionally driven K-pop sound. Their title tracks “Wake Up” and “Draw You” showcased their vocal chops — something the members had already proven individually on shows like MIXNINE, where Jinyoung placed first overall. Between 2019 and 2021, the group released two mini albums and a handful of digital singles, along with two original soundtrack contributions, steadily building a modest but loyal following.

Military Service and the End of an Era

Like so many K-pop idols, D1CE’s momentum was interrupted by mandatory military enlistment. Starting with Yonggeun in May 2021, followed by Woodam, and then Hyunsoo and Yoojun together in March 2022, the group gradually went on hiatus. Only Jinyoung remained active, pursuing a solo career and even debuting as a soloist in June 2021 with “Happy Birthday.”

Unfortunately, the story wound down rather than reunited. On January 20, 2023, D1CE Entertainment announced that the group had officially disbanded after three years and five months of activity, with all five members’ contracts expiring simultaneously. It was a quiet ending for a group that had waited so long just to get its start.

Why D1CE Still Matters to K-pop Fans

Even though D1CE is no longer active, their story remains a compelling example of the sheer perseverance required to debut in the Korean idol industry. For fans researching disbanded kpop groups or looking to understand the pre-debut survival show pipeline of the late 2010s, D1CE offers a genuinely human case study — five guys who spent years chasing a single shot at debut, made the most of it, and then moved on to new chapters in their lives and careers.